ENGLISH 8     POLICIES     MR. SHELTON

 

Texts

The Owl English Handbook, Second Edition, Shelton and Russell

21 Great Stories, Lass and Tasman

Sophocles I, Grene

To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee

The American Heritage College Dictionary, Fourth Edition (or other standard collegiate dictionary)

 

Grading

To receive credit for English 8, the student must have both a passing average second semester and a passing average of the first and second semester grades.  Each semester grade is the average of the grades for the two quarters (75%) and for the semester examination (25%).  Each quarter grade is the average of daily grades (homework and quizzes) and major tests and essays, with daily grades counting one-third and major grades counting two-thirds.

 

Homework

All daily assignments must be handed in on time when called for in class to receive credit.  No credit will be given for late homework assignments unless the student has an excused absence from class.  Homework must be done carefully and fully with the appropriate texts for the student to make satisfactory progress.  Daily assignments should usually take about forty minutes to complete.

 

Late Essays

To avoid penalty, a student must hand in a paper done outside class (book reports, essays, paragraphs) when it is called for in class if he is present in class.  If a student is absent from class when a paper is due but present at school on that day, he must hand in the paper before 3:30 p.m. to avoid being penalized for lateness.  If a student is absent from school on the day a paper is due, he must hand in the paper on his first day back in school to avoid penalty.  If a student is present at school on the day a paper is due but does not hand in the paper and then is absent on successive schooldays, the days of absence will count as late days .  Late papers will receive the following penalties:  1 school day late, minus 10 points; 2 schooldays late, minus 20 points; 3 or more days late, zero credit.  All course requirements must be completed to the satisfaction of the teacher even if an assignment is too late to receive credit.

 

Computer Problems

Students are responsible for computer, printer, and internet malfunctions.  Lateness will not be excused because your printer will not function or because a computer lost your document.  Complete assignments a few days early to avoid last-minute problems.  Always save computer documents frequently, both a copy on the hard drive and  copies on two floppies.  Plan ahead to ensure you have the needed paper, ink cartridges, and so forth.  Do not depend on the school’s equipment for last-minute printing, editing, and so forth.

 

Assignment format

Each essay assignment should follow the MLA Format described in The Owl English Handbook (pp. 87-88).  All other assignments must include the student’s first and last names and class period.  (Assignments without names will be penalized ten points.)  All assignments must include the pledge.  Use standard 8 ½  x 11 paper.  Type or write in black or blue ink on one side of the sheet. on writing assignments, doublespace or skip every other line and underline the thesis statement and each topic sentence.  Do not use paper torn from a spiral-bound notebook.  Do not use Liquid Paper or similar substances to correct errors:  mark through the error instead. 

 

Class Behavior

The student must be on time to class and sit in his assigned seat.  He will not ordinarily be excused from class to go to his locker, to go to the restroom, to make telephone calls, or to tend to other personal business except in genuine emergencies.  He must bring all necessary materials (2 pencils, 2 pens, notebook paper, OEH and other books under study, homework, and so forth) to class with him, including a handkerchief or pack of tissues.  Only English work may be done in English class.  Unnecessary talking and movement, as well as face-making, missile-throwing, sleeping, slouching, drunkenness, and other disorderly conduct is not permitted.  Sports equipment, radios, cassette and CD players, water pistols, real pistols, magazines unrelated to class, games, TI-83s, Palm Pilots, laptop computers, and so forth are not permitted.  The student should keep his tie tied, his shirt buttoned, his shoes and socks on.  His feet should not be put onto desks.  He should keep aisles clear of books. Bookbags should not be brought into the classroom.  He should clean the area around his desk before leaving at the end of class.  He should not write on desks, walls, floors, or other students.  He should not touch another’s property or open drawers in the teacher’s desk or file cabinets.  He should not write on the blackboard or post materials on the bulletin boards.  The student may not eat or drink in the classroom or open or close windows without permission.  He should throw away waste only after class.  He may sharpen pencils anytime during class without permission provided that no one else is at the sharpener.  Each student is expected to respect the teacher and the other students and to be courteous to them.  Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

 

Office Hours

The student should see me as soon as possible whenever he has questions about academic work or any other problem  with which he thinks I can help.  Conferences will occur in my office in  the Upper School (111).  The student should make an appointment as soon as  he knows he needs to see me.  I am available after school at 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays,  and Thursdays and during periods 1, 2, and 7.   (The student must have a note to his study-hall proctor signed by me to be excused from study hall.)